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■ BY MARTIN HOLLADAY A good window seals out cold, windy weather and admits as much light as possible into a house’s interior. While those functions seem rather obvious, some claim a new class of window can perform these duties better than any window made in the United States. Only a handful of window manufactur­ers […]

For those of you who say, "I don’t do windows," technology has finally caught up with your sentiment. Several big glass companies market coated glass that resists the buildup of dirt. Product names include Neat® Glass by Cardinal, Activ™ by Pilking — ton®, and PPG’s SunClean®. By making the glass smoother and hy­drophilic, rainwater collects […]

Another way to control the flow of heat through a window is with suspended films. These films come in two varieties: high solar gain and low solar gain. Because these films (similar to mylar) are so lightweight and thin, as many as three films can be suspended between two glass panes. The additional insulating spaces […]

Energy-efficient windows were developed during the previous energy crisis. When Jimmy Carter was installing solar panels on the White House and making conserva­tion a priority, the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was charged with finding ways to conserve energy. Windows were among their targets. The insulating windows of that era allowed an inordinate […]

Manufacturers typically refer to glass as glazing. Using glazing as a noun is a bit pretentious, like referring to a window as a fenestration, but it does give the sense that glass assemblies in today’s windows are a far cry from the single-pane windows installed in the 1970s. Those single-pane windows have been abandoned in […]

When most people choose windows, they begin by considering the frame material. They might be predisposed to traditional wood or low-maintenance vinyl. However, according to Nils Petermann at the Efficient Windows Collaborative, the most important factor to consider is the frame’s durability. This is where I’d like to refer you to an in­dependent organization that […]

■ BY SEAN GROOM W hen you roll up to a house for the first time, you can’t help but notice the windows. Their size, style, and place­ment determine if they’re appropriate to the architectural style and, to some degree, if the house will be a pleasure to be in. For most people, that’s as […]

Interlocking metal weatherstripping is an ef­ficient way to seal air leaks around doors. It comes with two different pieces; one attaches to the door, and the other to the jamb and the threshold. When closed, the two pieces interlock to form a seal. This type of weatherstripping is the most difficult to install, a job […]

These inexpensive tapes come in several varieties: nonporous, closed-cell foam; open-cell foam silicone; and various rub­bers, including a product called EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer). It’s worth spending a few extra cents per foot to buy the more-efficient closed-cell foam or higher-quality silicones. Any of these styles can be purchased in various thicknesses and lengths. […]